True, there have been films in the genre, but nothing comes close to the Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter films that kept viewers coming back. Those two franchises brought fantasy films out of the "it's just a genre film" and fully into the mainstream spectrum. Soon we had Narnia, and a host of gritty fairytale films.

So what's your favorite fantasy book or comic that you'd like to see onscreen? I can think of a few I've been hoping to see:

Chronicles of Prydain

I've long wanted to see a solid effort at bringing Lloyd Alexander's series to film. For me, it hits the sweet spot of youth-oriented tales that build up to a more epic ending (call it the Harry Potter path for lack of a better term).

From the Dell series (I had the boxed set in the 80s)

The earlier Disney effort of The Black Cauldron was visually well executed, but seemed to be ahead of it's time. Many critics said it was "too dark" for children when it was released. I doubt that argument would hold as much weight today. A more grown-up live action version would be ideal.

Animated N.C. Wyeth

This would be a monumental project, but I'd love to see a way for a more painterly-style of animated films to bring classic stories to life. I've long loved N.C. Wyeth's dreamy illustrations of fantasy, pirate, and even western myths. I'm not an art expert, but I do enjoy the high-degree of technical skill he employed to bring his fantastical subjects to life. Here's what I posted to the io9 article:

His work on The Boy's King Arthur, Treasure Island and various other tales are among my very favorite illustrations. I could see those each becoming a film or using them as inspiration for a totally unique and original story.

Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld

I've spoken about my fondness for this series before---and that hasn't waned. Amethyst is sort of a mixture of Wonder-Woman-meets-Shazam. She's a warrior princes with some magic abilities, with a well-conceived world built on gemstone houses (like Game of Thrones).

The 80s comic series was really great, and the revival a year or two past now under the Sword of Sorcery title was likewise well executed. I really enjoyed the art by Aaron Lopresti.

I'd love to see this become a reality by the time my daughter is old enough to appreciate it. I'm guessing this isn't on DC or Warner Bros. "hot property" lists to develop. Look how long it took them to get Wonder Woman into a live action film! They did do a plucky little series of shorts in an anime style that were quite charming:

But I'm still hoping for something more substantial. Amethyst seems to strike a chord with parents in general. I met a guy at comic convention a few years ago that named his own daughter in honor of the eponymous princess!

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Wizards of the Coast has been posting these for a few months, but if you haven't seen them, they're astounding. Artist Jason Thompson has rendered in fantastic detail, each encounter as it might play out along multiple adventure paths (so...spoilers!). Below are the maps posted to date.

Links will take you to more resources for each location. Click the images embiggen and enjoy!

About Me

I'm a serial blogger and geek-culture junkie. I love games of all sorts, comics, movies, and spend too much time daydreaming. Right now, I'm working on RAD ASTRA, a far-out, exploitation-style, space opera setting for the X-plorers roleplaying game. I don't get to game nearly as much as I like but I love worldbuilding!

I run a recurring tabletop gaming event called Saturday Night Space Opera at Source Comics & Games in Roseville, MN, the first Saturday of the month. Right now I'm running a Rad Astra campaign with the aim of expanding to several simultaneous scifi space games (RPGs, board, card, you name it!).

Oh, and I became a Geekdad for the first time in 2013. :-)

Add me to any circles or communties about...

Geeky stuff: i.e., games, comics, toys, or media about scifi, fantasy or superheroes. I'm also a big science buff, particularly where cosmology and earth sciences are concerned. I circle folks who look to be into the same.

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If we've not met--and it's not obvious why you're adding me--there's a good chance your circle won't be returned. In which case, feel free to email me and introduce yourself.